Direction of Fleece

I am making a fleece rag quilt with a fleece backing. For the individual blocks, should I also keep the direction of the fleece going in the same direction or would it be better to have the top going crossgrain and the backing going with the grain? Would this decrease the stretching? Also, since the blocks are only 5 inches, should I be stitching an "X" across the block sandwich?

changing direction of the fleece is kind of a 'personal decision' but if you make that choice i would stitch the X on the blocks- so when it's laundered they stay together nicely- if they are not stitched on side could stretch/shrink differently from the other side-making baggy/saggy blocks.

Changing the direction of fleece or other pile fabric can be an effective decorative element added to the quilt but one must be careful in doing so. I have seen this where the direction changed the appearance of the entire quilt. So keeping the direction in the same in certain aras can ork. Suggestion above about stretchability is important. For example if you put every other square in the opposite direction it an add to the overall appearance and be effective.